USPTO Patents Application 08873597

Serial No.: 08/873,597
Filed: June 12, 1997

wherein said conductive oligomer is also covalently attached t^.-ar'^mgle stranded
nucleic acid; and

\ \ b) an AC/DC voltage source electrically conn50t€3 to said test chamber.

20. (Amended) An apparatus for the d^te^ion of target nucleic acids in a test sample,
comprising:

a) a test chamber cpnlprising a first and a second measuring electrode, wherein said
first measuring^lectrode comprises a covalently attached single stranded nucleic acid^
^ I ^ j wherein^smd nucleic acid further comprises [comprising] a covalently attached second
(^dn^ * el^OTon transfer moiety; and

yh) an AC/DC voltage source electrically connected to said test chamber.

^ ^ ^/J^( Amended) An apparatus according to claim
d) a processor coupled to said electrodes.

l^,[or]^or^,f

I

^or]^2( ^r^ C

further comprising:

wherein said AC voltage

9i

(Amended) An apparatus according to claim [c
"Source is capable of delivering frequencies from between about'l Hz to about 100 kHz.

23. (Amended) An apparatus according to clainj^f?!] 20, wherein said single stranded nucleic
^ ^ y acids are covalently attached to said first^rleasuring electrode via a spacer.

25. (Amended) An apparatus according to claim 19^ [or] 24 or 28 . wherein said^c^ntluctive
^ oligomer has the formula:

* Y IS an aromatic group;

n is an integer from 1 to 5^
g is either 1 or zero
e is an integej>m)m zero to 10; and
^r 1;

/c

7873,597
June 12, 1997

wherein when g is 1, B-D comprises two atoms forniing--aH3Snd able to conjugate with
neighboring bonds [is a conjugated bond];

wherein when g is zero, e is 1 mjjd-0is selected from the group consisting of [preferably]
^ carbonyl[, or] and a hgtefoatom moiety, wherein the heteroatom is selected from oxygen,
sulfur, nitrog^ir^r] and phosphorus.

Please add the following new claims:

-26. An apparatus for the detection of target nucleic acids in a test sample^^^pm^sing:

a) a test chamber comprising a first and a second measuring^^t^rode, wherein said
first measuring electrode comprises a covalentlj^^^ttSched first single stranded nucleic
acid;

b) a second nucleic acid compri§i*i^a covalently attached electron transfer moiety;
and

c) an AC/DC vohage source electrically connected to said test chamber.

7. An appp^mus according to claim 26 wherein said single stranded nucleic acids are
dpvalpfluy attached to said electrode via a spacer.

,0

2^ An apparatus according to claim ,2^wherein said spacer is a conductive oligomer.

29. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said spacer is an msulator.

TTOf An appm:3ttls"afcc ^ding jj><taim l^'"^3^^iip^8, where^Lsaid conductive oligor
formula:

wherein

C are carbon atoms;
n is an integgp^ftom 1 to 50;
m i^^&ov 1;

n N /

106

Serial No.: 08/873,597
Filed: June 12, 1997

J is a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, silicon, phosphorysf^lfiir,
carbonyl and sulfoxide; and

G is a bond selected from single, double and triple bonds.

3 1 . An apparatus according to claim 19, 24 or 28, whpmn said conductive oligomer has the
formula:

wherein

n is an integer fronj^ to 50;
m is either ^^^or 1;
Y ispifaromatic group; and
is a substitution group.

32. An apparatus according to claim I^^^^j>c5f26, wherein said first measuring electrode
further comprises a passivation ageilfmofiolayer.

33. An apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said passiyalietrSgeht monolayer comprises
conductive oligomers.

34. An apparatus acp^rding to claim 32 wherein said passivation agent monolayer comprises
insulator

REMARKS

The Commissioner is authorized to charge any additional fees which may be required,
or credit any overpayment to Deposit Account No. 06-1300 (Our Order No. A-64558-
1/RFT/RMS). A duplicate copy of this sheet is enclosed.

Claims 19-34 are pending.

By way of summary, the present invention is directed to compositions and methods

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